Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Members at Large
PAO Office Staff
Services Department
Accounting Department
accounts
rec'ble
Director's Update
1509 Washington Street, Suite B, Midland, MI 48640
Ph.: 989-837-8350
Fax: 989-698-0101
Web site:
www..paomidland..org
PAO Update
March 2006
Barb Gerow, President
Reports of my retirement were greatly exaggerated. I
Tonia Crampton, Vice President
am back - at least for a little while. Things at PAO had
Steve Walta, Treasurer
gotten a little off track and changes needed to be made
Pete Poznak, Secretary
quickly. Jan Lampman and I have been asked to lead
the organization back to its Mission and Values roots.
Although PAO was not going in the right direction in a
Denise Dryer
number of areas, I believe that we will end up doing a
Jim Hitchcock
better job of serving people as a result of the changes
Pam Murchison
that are now being made
(see Jan's Ch-Changes
Kevin Roeder
contribution on page 3 of this issue). At the top, our
Ed Rusk
Board of Directors has a better understanding of what
Earl (Scott) Schuster
role they play in the success of the organization. The
Judy Seaman
office staff has refocused on their role in making certain
Linda Stein
that the people we serve are the top priority. In several
Bruce Timmons
cases our office staff are serving as direct care staff to
Rhonda Weyer
help reduce office staff expenses and to reduce
overtime in the field. The Direct Care staff are likewise
providing services based on the plans and preferences
Ted Skinner, Executive Director
of the people served. And we are doing all of this in a
Jan Lampman, Management
more efficient manner to assure that PAO is financially
Consultant
viable for the long term. We are also discussing fund
raising to provide some extra funds for the support of
Lois DeBrosse, Manager
people served in situations that may not be covered by
Debra Lichtman, Coordinator
Medicaid. This would increase our flexibility which is
Tabatha Naples, Training &
one of the most important values for PAO.
Services Specialist
The PAO Board has appointed Rhonda Weyer and
Ruth Lasiewicki, Benefits &
Steve Walta of the Board, Carol Wallace of CMHCM,
Services Specialist
Mark Oliver of GMS and MTV, Jan Lampman of The
Joyce Churchill, Admin.
Arc, and myself to serve as the Search Committee. We
Assistant
have begun meeting and are focusing on the Midland
Louanne Loomis, Office
Area to try to find the next Executive Director. One of
Assistant
the tactics we are using is to try to recruit potential
candidates who are very familiar with the people PAO
Lisa Kircher, Staff Accountant
serves and who are known to have the necessary skills
Julie Bullock,
&
to do the job. We welcome any suggestions from
Billing Specialist
people served, parents, and friends.
Jessica Cattanach, Payroll &
Billing Clerk
Ted Skinner
PAO Safety
Program
PAO costs. So, with Tabitha Naples' leadership, we
"Slips, Trips, and Falls"
A Night to Remember
PAO staff have had a lot of injuries while they are
on the job over the last two years. This has a big
impact on the people we serve, on our staff and on
are upgrading our safety program and will be
providing incentives to increase the safety
awareness of our staff. We will also have a theme
each month. In March and April the theme is
which will be a general
theme when there is a chance of ice or snow. The
incentive program will provide a gift certificate to a
staff person when they read, sign and turn in a
safety note that has been stuffed into their pay
check. Please turn the signed safety note into the
PAO office or box within seven days after payday
to qualify for the award. Other safety action plans
th
Save Saturday, May 6
, 2006 for the new
include 1) an individualized safety checklist for
at the
each home, 2) a staff safety suggestion box for
The dance is for people 18
safety ideas or problems, 3) a stretching program to
years and older and is sponsored for the first
reduce strains and sprains, and 4) a discount for
time by the
PAO staff at the Midland Community Center. The
which is made up of the
Safety Committee is looking for a few additional
following agencies:
members; if anyone has an interest in helping please
call Tabatha Naples at PAO, 837-8350.
Tabatha Naples
and
There will
be a catered meal by
, special
photographs by
and dancing music by
The dress is semi-
formal. Tuxes will not be required or
provided. Tickets will be on sale from April
6 until April 24 at the following locations:
The Arc of Midland, The Arnold Center,
Lutheran Social Services, Community
th
Mental Health for Central Michigan (4
floor of the Midland County Service
Building), and Personal Assistance Options.
Deb Lichtman
1509 Washington Street, Suite B, Midland, MI 48640
Ph.: 989-837-8350
Fax: 989-698-0101
Web site:
wwwwww..ppaaoommiiddllaanndd..oorrgg
PAO Update
M arch 2006
As you know, Personal Assistance Options has been
going through many changes since the first of the
year. We have begun a search for a new Executive
Director. We have begun to develop distinct
service options. We have begun a new focus on
Safety with a safety committee. In this newsletter
you will find details about each of these initiatives.
In addition, we have really been working with each
team that surrounds the folks we serve to help them
focus on training, scheduling and handling
emergencies within the team structure. To that end,
we have asked support coordinator and support
coordinator assistants to help each team develop the
got the
schedule each month, to help staff remember that it
attention of thousands or people in the
is their responsibility to fill their own shift when
Midland Area. Besides the bad weather we
needed and to help to handle last minute
had to deal with slippery roads, roads
emergencies. This month was the first month of the
blocked by trees, power outages and zero
new system of coordinator and coordinator
degree temperatures for three days or more.
assistants compiling the schedule so that we can
Personal Assistance Options administrative
input it and give it to staff and people we serve. We
staff would like to thank all of the direct
are very interested in feedback about how this new
care staff for helping to make certain that the
system is going. Please let us know if you have any
people we serve were safe and warm, and
suggestions or ideas about ways to improve this
that they got fed and that their health-related
new system.
needs were met. In many cases that meant
finding a place for people to stay, sometimes
Thank you for your part in making these
in the homes of the staff themselves. At the
improvements.
same time many staff had no power and, due
to the road conditions, also had a hard time
Jan Lampman
getting to work. But everyone did their best
to help others and there were no major
Low Cost Hair Cuts
problems or incidents during this time. This
In Session; Arts of Cosmetology
just goes to show that PAO staff are the best.
Monday
Friday; 9:00 AM
4:00 PM
1908 S. Saginaw Road
Again, thanks to all of the people who
Midland, MI 48640
helped the people we serve make it through
989-631-2950
Hair cut $6.00; Haircut/Style $7.00
Lois DeBrosse
1509 Washington Street, Suite B, Midland, MI 48640
Ph.: 989-837-8350
Fax: 989-698-0101
Web site:
wwwwww..ppaaoommiiddllaanndd..oorrgg
PAO Update
M arch 2006
PAO Winners
Employee Appreciation Awards
November 2005
Part time: Richard Stowits
Full time: David Beeman
December 2005
Part time: Brandon Curley
Full time: Betty Lohr
Quotations from
January 2006
by Chuck Coté*
Part time: Angela Bomaster
as selected by Jessica Cattenach
Full time: Matt Suderman
Every day learn something new
February 2006
from someone new.
Part time: Priscilla Devericks
Full time: Irisa Furlo
Challenges are the questions.
Results are the answers.
If you think you do
PAO Safety Award
difference, think again.
March 16, 2006
One man can make a difference
Diane Paulson
and every man should try
John
F. Kennedy
Thanks to all of our Direct Care and
Spend 20% of your time on a
Office Staff for their Great Work on
problem and 80% on the solution.
Behalf of the People we Serve.
*Permission granted by Chuck Coté
1509 Washington Street, Suite B, Midland, MI 48640
Ph.: 989-837-8350
Fax: 989-698-0101
Web site:
wwwwww..ppaaoommiiddllaanndd..oorrgg
PAO Update
M arch 2006
How many times have you tried to buy DAR
The prices of Dial-A-Ride tickets/rides are
tickets from a bus driver and they told you that you
as follows:
could only buy one book or that you must have
free with an adult
exact change? How many times have all you
- $1
agencies thought about how much easier it would be
if you could just distribute tickets from your own
(1) book of 10 for $18.00
office? How many times have you thought to
(2) reduced fair book of 10 for $6.75
yourself about how hectic it is to even try to buy
(senior or disabled qualify with NO
tickets on the bus when you are in a rush to go
paper work to be filled out)
(3) single ticket for $2
are a variety of ways and places to obtain DAR
(4) single reduced fair tickets $ .75
tickets so that it fits in with your schedule.
The first way is to try to purchase them on
If you have any questions or comments,
the bus when you are on it anyway. This is most
please call Public Transportation at (989)
convenient if you only need 1 book or a couple of
837-6908.
tickets. The thing to remember when doing this is
that the drivers should only be selling up to one
book at a time, you must have exact change, and the
drivers run out of tickets to sell quickly.
You could always just pay cash on the bus.
but it is.
You could go right to the City of
Public Transportation located at 4811 N. Saginaw
Rd. and purchase tickets there. There are no limits
when you go there and you can get change back.
An employee called me the other day and
told me that the best way for her to purchase tickets
for an individual she works with is to stop at the
back parking lot of the Community Center after she
After following Rachel (driver) for a mile,
is done at the Arnold Center in the morning. She
Julie finally gets a picture. What a good
dropped in on them one day and the drivers thought
sport.
it was pretty clever since she drives right by there
anyway. It works out really well.
Quote from a regular rider, Kris Decker,
Some agencies like to go the main office and
-A-Ride is a very important part of my
purchase 50-100 books of tickets and them sell or
donate them as needed.
Julie Bullock
1509 Washington Street, Suite B, Midland, MI 48640
Ph.: 989-837-8350
Fax: 989-698-0101
Web site:
wwwwww..ppaaoommiiddllaanndd..oorrgg
PAO Update
M arch 2006
each individual who
requests a reduced fare on County Connection of
Midland is required to fill out an ADA Transit
Application Form.
. The
completed form must be returned to County
Connection and an ID Card will be issued. You are
urged to take care of this matter as soon as possible
Joyce Churchill
Joyce Churchill
FSA Reminder
If you have any money left
in your Flexible Spending Account for 2005,
is a beautiful place to take a
nice walk. When you go to the Garden, let them
. Any money
know that you are part of The Arc of Midland and
in your account after March 31 is forfeited.
there will be no fee since The Arc has a
To check on your account call 1-800-353-
membership there.
9487. Call Lois or Ruth at 837-8350 for
is very
more info. Ruth Lasiewicki
interesting; right now they have motorcycle and
dinosaur exhibits. Go to the box office and ask for
The Arc membership card to get in free. This
would be a great outing for the person served and
the staff.
The
will
be held at the Midland Holiday Inn Conference
Center on April 26, 2006 from 8:30 AM to 3:30
PM. This conference is free with a lunch provided
by
. Seating is limited, so
RSVP as soon as possible, call 1-800-901-9185.
